Apparatus for maneuvering parked motorcycles and motor scooters

Abstract

A dolly for supporting a tire of a motorcycle or motor scooter off the ground is provided. The dolly comprises: axially aligned wheels supported by a frame which has a frame part forward of the wheels and a frame part behind the wheels, the forward frame part having an open end being such that the motorcycle or motor scooter tire can locate in the open end, at least one tire gripping member on the forward frame part and adapted to wedge the tire when the forward frame part is lifted and release the tire when the forward frame part is lowered, and a wheel on the frame part behind the wheels.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A tyre interfacing dolly adapted to lift and support a tyre of a motorcycle or motor scooter off the ground, the dolly comprising:
 axially aligned wheels; 
 a frame which has a front frame part forward of the axially aligned wheels and a rear frame part behind the axially aligned wheels, the front frame part having a pair of tyre contacting members adjacent an open end of the front frame part to directly contact a motorcycle or motor scooter tyre and locate the tyre in the open end of the front frame part; 
 
       when the front frame part is lifted to lift the motorcycle or motor scooter tyre off the ground and release the tyre when the front frame part is lowered;
 at least one additional wheel on the rear frame part; 
 each of said pair of tyre contacting members comprising a ramped face configured to wedge against each side of the tyre; and 
 wherein the front frame part and the rear frame part are rigidly connected and angled relative to each other whereby lowering of the rear frame part by a user causes said lifting of the front frame part and results in said ramped faces of each of said tyre contacting members wedging against each side of the tyre respectively thereby lifting the motorcycle or motor scooter tyre off the ground to support the motorcycle or motor scooter tyre in a raised configuration and wherein raising of the rear frame part by the user releases the motorcycle or motor scooter tyre from the open end of the front frame part in a lowered configuration. 
 
     
     
       2. The dolly of  claim 1 , wherein the axially aligned wheels and/or the additional wheel are omni-directional wheels, said omni-directional wheel being capable of multiple directional travel and comprising a central hub rotatable about a main axis and a number of independently mounted rotatable rollers located about a rim of the hub. 
     
     
       3. The dolly of  claim 1 , wherein the rear frame part includes frame arms extending away from the front frame part and a location stop for the tyre, said location stop extending between said frame arms and supporting the tyre received into the front frame part when the rear frame part is lowered in the lowered configuration such that the tyre contacts said location stop and said tyre contacting members. 
     
     
       4. A combination comprising a dolly according to  claim 1  adapted to support a first wheel of a motorcycle or motor scooter and a second dolly adapted to support the second wheel of a motorcycle or motor scooter. 
     
     
       5. The combination of  claim 4 , wherein the dolly is adapted to support the front wheel of a motorcycle or motor scooter and the second dolly is adapted to support the rear wheel of a motorcycle or motor scooter. 
     
     
       6. The combination of  claim 4 , wherein the second dolly comprises a frame having first and second arms adapted in use to extend along each side of a motorcycle wheel, and an interconnecting spacing member;
 first and second uprights wherein the first and second arms are coupled respectively to the first and second uprights; 
 first and second dolly wheels coupled to lower portions of the first and second uprights respectively and arranged for placement on opposite sides of the motorcycle and coaxial and aligned with the major axis parallel with the axes of the motorcycle wheels; 
 a motorcycle engagement assembly coupled to the frame, and; 
 a third dolly wheel mounted to the spacing member and including peripheral rotatable ground contact members for motion parallel to the major axis of the wheel. 
 
     
     
       7. The combination of  claim 6 , including a handle mounted to the spacing member for assisting in rotating the dolly about the first and second dolly wheels in use to lift the wheel. 
     
     
       8. The combination of  claim 6 , including an anti-tipping member to prevent inadvertent tipping of the motorcycle into an unstable condition. 
     
     
       9. The combination of  claim 8 , wherein the anti-tipping member comprises a U shaped member on at least one of the first and second uprights. 
     
     
       10. The combination of  claim 9 , wherein the U shaped member comprises a handle mounted to the spacing member for assisting in rotating the dolly about the first and second dolly wheels in use to lift the wheel and wherein the handle is removable from the spacing member after the wheel has been lifted by the dolly. 
     
     
       11. A combination in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the removable handle can be positioned on at least one of the first and second uprights to prevent inadvertent tipping of the motorcycle into an unstable condition. 
     
     
       12. The combination of  claim 6 , wherein the motorcycle engagement assembly includes opposed cradles for respectively supporting handling pins on the motor cycle, at least one cradle being provided with a capture member formed over the cradle to provide a closed loop to capture a said motorcycle handling pin in use. 
     
     
       13. The combination of  claim 6 , wherein the motorcycle engagement assembly includes opposed cradles for respectively supporting handling pins on the motor cycle, at least one said cradle being supported by a lateral shaft, the shaft being slideable in a sleeve in a said upright, and a friction member to frictionally engage the shaft in a desired position, where the frictional force is provided by a spring or elastic element. 
     
     
       14. The combination of  claim 4 , wherein the second dolly comprises a frame having first and second arms adapted in use to extend along each side of a motorcycle wheel, and an interconnecting spacing member;
 first and second dolly wheels coupled to ends of the first and second arms respectively and arranged for placement on opposite sides of the motorcycle and coaxial and aligned with the major axis parallel with the axes of the motorcycle wheels; 
 a third dolly wheel mounted to the spacing member and including peripheral rotatable ground contact members for motion parallel to the major axis of the wheel; 
 a motorcycle engagement assembly coupled to the frame and comprising a stem mounted above a said first or second arm by at least one bracing member, the stem adapted for insertion into an axial recess of a wheel of the motorcycle. 
 
     
     
       15. The combination of  claim 14 , including a handle mounted to the spacing member for assisting in rotating the dolly about the first and second dolly wheels in use to lift the wheel. 
     
     
       16. The combination of  claim 14 , including an anti-tipping member to prevent inadvertent tipping of the motorcycle into an unstable condition. 
     
     
       17. The combination of  claim 16 , wherein the anti-tipping member comprises a U shaped member at least partially on said bracing member. 
     
     
       18. The combination of  claim 17 , wherein the U shaped member comprises a handle mounted to the spacing member for assisting in rotating the dolly about the first and second dolly wheels in use to lift the wheel wherein the handle is removed from the spacing member after the wheel has been lifted by the dolly and placed on at least partially one said bracing member to become the anti-tipping member. 
     
     
       19. The combination of  claim 4 , wherein the second dolly comprises a cart having a channel including a platform and side walls, the side walls supporting wheels, the platform having a recess for receiving a portion of a motorcycle wheel, a retaining member disposed between forward ends of the side walls to prevent the wheel of the motorcycle from rolling out of the cart should it inadvertently be displaced from the recess, and a ramp for assisting in rolling the motorcycle onto the platform. 
     
     
       20. The combination of  claim 4 , wherein all said wheels comprise omni-directional wheels for motion in any horizontal direction.